Tag dark guardian

(CNN) — Mr. Ravenblade, Mr. Xtreme, Dark Guardian and hundreds of others. Some with elaborate costumes, others with haphazardly stitched outfits, they are appearing on city streets worldwide watching over the populace like Superman watched over Metropolis and Batman over Gotham City.
As people become disillusioned from financial woes and a downtrodden economy and look to put new purpose in their lives, everyday folks are taking on new personas to perform community service, help the homeless and even fight crime.
“The movement is growing,” said Ben Goldman, a real-life superhero historian. Goldman, along with Chaim “Life” Lazaros and David “Civitron” Civitarese, runs the New York-based Web site Superheroes Anonymous as part of an initiative dedicated to organizing and making alliances with superhero groups.
According to Goldman, who goes by the moniker Cameraman because of his prowess in documenting the movement, economic troubles are spawning real life superheroes.
“A lot of them have gone through a sort of existential crisis and have had to discover who they are,” Goldman said. People are starting to put value in what they can do rather than what they have, he said. “They realize that money is fleeting, it’s in fact imaginary.”
Estimates from the few groups that keep tabs put the worldwide total of real-life superheroes between 250 and 300. Goldman said the numbers were around 200 just last summer.
Mr. Ravenblade, laid off after a stint with a huge computer technology corporation, found inspiration for his new avocation a few years ago from an early morning incident in Walla Walla, Washington.
“I literally stepped into a woman’s attempted rape/mugging,” Mr. Ravenblade said. While details were lost in the fog of the fight, he remembers this much: “I did what I could,” he said, adding that he stopped the crime and broke no laws. “And I realized after doing what I did, that people don’t really look after people.”
Public response to real-life superheroes has been mixed, according to Mr. Xtreme, who founded the Xtreme Justice League in San Diego, California.
“Sometimes it’s been really positive with people saying, ‘Woohoo, the superheroes are here,’ and then the usual barrage, saying ‘Oh, these guys are losers.’ Other times people will look kind of freaked out, and then sometimes people just don’t know what to think about us.”
Like Peter Parker kept his Spider-Man identity from his editor boss, Mr. Extreme and Mr. Ravenblade have asked CNN editors to keep their identities secret.
The current superhero movement started a few years ago on MySpace, as people interested in comics and cool caped crusaders joined forces, Goldman said. It goes beyond the Guardian Angel citizen patrols of the early 1980s, as the real-life superheroes of today apply themselves to a broadly defined ethos of simply doing good works. Watch Crimson Fist help the homeless in Atlanta »
Chris Pollak, 24, of Brooklyn, New York, can attest to the appeal. “A lot more people are either following it or wanting to go out and do it,” Pollack, who goes by the name Dark Guardian, said. By “do it,” he means patrol the harrowing streets late at night.
“A lot of kids say they’re real-life superheroes [on MySpace],” Mr. Ravenblade said. “But what are you doing? Being in front of a computer is not helping anybody.”
Comic book legend Stan Lee, the brain behind heroes such as Spider-Man and the X-Men, said in his comic books doing good — and availing one’s self — was indeed the calling card for superheroes.
“If somebody is committing a crime, if somebody is hurting some innocent person, that’s when the superhero has to take over.” See a photo gallery of some real-life superheroes »
“I think it’s a good thing that people are eager enough to want to help their community. They think to do it is to emulate the superheroes,” Lee said. “Now if they had said they had super powers [that would be another thing].”
Without super powers, real life superheroes confess to a mere-mortal workload, including helping the homeless, handing out fliers in high-crime areas and patrolling areas known for drug-dealing.
Mr. Ravenblade said he and some of his superfriends would soon be trying to organize a Walk for Babies fundraiser in Portland, Oregon.
“We work with charities that help children,” he said. “We think a lot of crimes happen because of people who didn’t get a lot of love when they were younger. We do what we can to help that there.”
“Homeless outreach is the main thing I like to do,” said Chaim “Life” Lazaros, of Superheroes Anonymous. “We give out food, water, vitamins, toothbrushes. A lot of homeless people in my area know me, and they tell us about what they need. One homeless guy said ‘I need a couple pair of clean underwear.'”
For Christmas, Lazaros said his group raised $700 in gifts and brought them to kids at St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in New York. “They were so excited to see real-life superheroes,” Lazaros said. iReport.com: Searching for Cincinnati’s caped crusader
Many of the real-life superheroes even initiate citizen’s arrests, but what’s legal varies by state. And in North Carolina citizen’s arrests are illegal. Real-life superheroes who grab a suspected villain may find themselves under a specter of trouble.
“Not a good idea,” said Katy Parker, legal director for the ACLU of North Carolina. “Seeing as how there’s no citizen’s arrest statute [in the state], people who do this are running a serious risk of getting arrested for kidnapping, and being liable for false imprisonment.”
“Vigilantism is never a good thing,” said Bernard Gonzales, public information officer for the Chula Vista, California, Police Department. He’s had some interactions with real-life superheroes. “The very best thing a private citizen can do is be a good witness.”
Mr. Ravenblade said he’s just that.
“If you’re a real-life superhero you follow the law. If you catch somebody you can’t just tie them up and leave them for the cops, that’s for the comics. You have to wait for the cops and give them a statement,” Mr. Ravenblade said. iReport.com: Cincinnati superhero speaks
While citizens helping out in the community is encouraged, Gonzales said the costumes can go.
“Where these people are out in public, and there’s children around and everything, and these people are not revealing their identities, it’s not a safe thing.”
But the costumes go with the gig, right down to the do-it-yourself approach to good deeds, including, apparently, recycling.
“The costume I have is simple,” said Mr. Xtreme. “I made it myself. I had a graphic designer design it for me and just took it down to the swap meet and had somebody imprint it on for me.”
“The mask,” an old bullfighter’s piece, “I got from Tijuana.”

Where to find real-life superheroes

There is a growing diaspora of superheroes worldwide. Here are a few resources.
World Superhero Registry: A virtual who’s who of the larger real-life superhero community, including who’s active and who’s not.
Superheroes Anonymous: A New York-based initiative to organize and document the scattered real-life superhero diaspora.
ReallifeSuperheroes.org: A repository of all things supehero, to encourage and set up real-life superheroes in various communities
RLSH-manual.com: So, you want to be a real-life superhero? Need a uniform, you say? 

Where to find real-life superheroes

There is a growing diaspora of superheroes worldwide. Here are a few resources.
World Superhero Registry: A virtual who’s who of the larger real-life superhero community, including who’s active and who’s not.
Superheroes Anonymous: A New York-based initiative to organize and document the scattered real-life superhero diaspora.
ReallifeSuperheroes.org: A repository of all things supehero, to encourage and set up real-life superheroes in various communities
RLSH-manual.com: So, you want to be a real-life superhero? Need a uniform, you say?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/06/04/real.life.superheroes/

BY VANESSA TYLER | wpix.com Staff reporter
NEW YORK (WPIX) –
“I’m the “Dark Guardian,” Chris Pollak tells PIX News as he stands in his black and red leather costume. Pollak is a real life super hero, part of a growing movement of adults who dress up, fight crime and attempt to make society a better place.
PIX went along one night as Pollak, and his co-horts, “Life” and “Phantom Zero,” went out on their rounds. It was a dark and very stormy night and the trio chose to bring comfort to the homeless.
“Life,” whose costume is reminiscent of the Green Hornet, says, “The homeless, when you are going up to them and you’re giving food, vitamins, socks, and tooth brushes and razors, if you’re stark naked or wearing a clown suit. They are happy to get the stuff. They’re happy someone cares.” The gang also use their own money to buy those supplies.
The real life super hero movement has been growing since 9-11 and there is even a worldwide registry.
The “Dark Guardian” has made it his mission to rid Washington Square Park of drug dealers and some have even confronted him. He says, “We’ve had people flash a gun at us. But I’m not backing down.”
The group says police are aware of their presence and worry for their safety since these real life super heroes say they are not armed, though “Life” does wear a bullet proof vest.
“Dark Phantom” who stands more than six feet tall and wears all black with a cape, a hood, and a white skull mask tells PIX News, “A lot of times I haven’t had trouble from the authorities with the sole exception of going into the subway wearing a mask.”
http://www.wpix.com/news/local/wpix-super-heroes-help-poor,0,7128849.story

SamaritanCitizen
PostSubject: Isn”t Good ”Ol Fashioned Beat ”em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 7:15 pm
This topic is a little heavy because while I’ve read a decent amount on you guys in the past solid hours of surfing the general philosophy is non-violence. (Which is good. I don’t what a whole bunch of vigilantes running around.) I don’t want to trap anybody in a what if scenario, but for people who do frequent ‘patrols’ some of you are bound to come across scenarios like the ones that I’m about to present…
At any rate, I’ve some questions about you fellas and gals. First off, wouldn’t there be a darker side to ya’lls work? Like, if you were patrolling the streets of Albequerque on a nightly round and noticed a rapist violating someone in an alleyway? Or a daily round of your suburban neighborhood caused you to be witness to a gang mugging in someones house? That is, through the window you see someone who’s life is seriously in danger from being severly assaulted.
Thanks guys, I look forward to your answers.
Dark Guardian
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 7:40 pm
I do what is necessary to defend myself and others
Moonlight Cicada
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 7:52 pm
If I seeing a violent crime being occured, I will do what would be expected of me, and that would be to help at all costs.
Big Simon
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 8:50 pm
There’s no doubt in my mind many of the people here would do something in any of those cases. While non-violence is the general tenor of what most of us believe, we also understand that there are certain situations which require immediate action, as opposed to waiting for the police to arrive after a call. Many of us are martially trained – though not all of us. I, myself, have no martial arts experience other than a bit of wrestling. But there are others here who have a tremendous amount of training. Some of us carry devices and weapons to help do what we do.
Me, personally, I’m not on the street, patrolling. But if I ran into a violent crime being committed? Yeah, I’d do what I could to stop it and protect the victims.
Clockodile
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 9:35 pm
I have been involved in a crime where I was attacked.
Just use your head and keep your fists in front.
Moonlight Cicada
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 9:37 pm
Most people are predictable and clumsy when fighting. Very easy to call moves and catch off guard.
Clockodile
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 9:39 pm
I think out of all the people I know, there is only one that knows how to fight properly and could probably kick my ass.
Moonlight Cicada
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 9:42 pm
Exactly. Even if one overpowers you in strength, you could predict their movements, and strike first.
TheChaplain
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 10:11 pm
Only in dire situations.
winter knight
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Tue May 12, 2009 11:00 pm

Dark Guardian wrote:
I do what is necessary to defend myself and others

I second that… priority one: preserve life, render aid to victims, and serve and protect others.
Statesman
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 5:10 am
I believe it would be short sighted of me to go out of my front door with my mind set on violence.
I believe that most conflicts can be resolved with confidence, sense and a feel for what is fair.
I will never allow harm to come to myself or any innocent, and will fight until I fall in defence of the good.
But in my experience, prevention trumps punishment every time.
Big Simon
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 9:16 am

Statesman wrote:
I believe it would be short sighted of me to go out of my front door with my mind set on violence.
I belive that most conflicts can be resolved with confidence, sense and a feel for what is fair.
I will never allow harm to come to myself or any innocent, and will fight until I fall in defence of the good.
But in my experience, prevention trumps punishment every time.

Exactly. If we can put the problem to a stop before it happens, we’ve done everyone a service. And we do a disservice to the people we claim to serve if we go out spoiling for a fight. The mindset is that of the defender, not the vanquisher. Like Hunter Outlaw, however, I agree that violence is sometimes necessary. It’s best if you have some experience, and some skill in fighting, even if you haven’t taken a single martial arts course. There’s value in knowing what you’re body is capable of, and what you are going to be able to accomplish, and the confidence imparted is priceless.
As the old adage goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. A little effort expended to avoid a fight will serve you and the community better than going in, fists flying, but if there’s no other option, it’s best to know what the hell you’re doing.
Statesman
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 9:25 am
I’d go a little further, even- our duty to the world is to make it a better, safer place for people to live in.
With excessive aggression, we become another thing to fear on the streets rather than a source of confidence, and inspiration.
Hunter
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 11:08 am
Big Simon, I think you meant Outlaw, not Hunter.
Big Simon
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 11:41 am

Hunter wrote:
Big Simon, I think you meant Outlaw, not Hunter.

Well, of course I did. I’m just sometimes not quick enough to catch these things, myself. *chuckles*
nemo2000
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 12:41 pm
Hey Chaps & Chappettes,
I am with Zen on this one, prevention is always better than the cure, in tactical terms it is known as “The Combat of the Collective Conscience”.
The best way to fight crime is to work to re~unite fractured communities, by opening new channels of communications and aiding in building bridges amongst them.
Active R.L.S.H. do this by being a visable figure head that is prepared to do lots of minor good deeds to show it can be done and inspire other members of there communities to get out there and do the same.
This techqnique of promoting the “The Collective Conscience” within broken communities has been scientifically proven time and time again to be the single most effective way of combating crime ridden communities quickly and effectively.
Sure most of us will come to the assistance of any Citizen being abused or attacked, but then again so would mostl civic minded citizens we are only doing the same as they would.
It is in repairing these fractured communities that we as R.L.S.H. can really make a big difference to them.
Basically quod erat demonstrandum, de oppresso liber et fortis est veritas.
Kind Regards, Everyone ~ Nemo.
nemo2000
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 1:56 pm
Hey Outlaw,
It’s very simple, R.L.S.H. is about the point I made above, not neccesarily about, how well you can fight, Repairing broken communities and reastablishing there internal cohesion is scientifically proven to be the most effective way of reducing crime in a given area.
I have been practicing martial arts since I was 7 years old, and have black belt in Aikido and currently hold an E5 Expert Level Military/Special Forces Instructor rating in Krav-Maga, so I think that qualifys me to know what I am talking about.
Also I am a former Diving and Clearance Officer – (1st Lt), in the British Royal Navy and saw active service in Iraq, Leading my unit alongside the S.B.S. on the initial push, so I truly know what it is like to be in combat and under fire, but I do not totally agree with your points of view.
R.L.S.H. is about public spirited individuals choosing to try and make a difference and doing the best they can, to help repair the community that they have come to care about, we should encourage support them not put them down, as long as what they are doing is legal and does not bring the Name of the R.L.S.H. community into disrepute.
Best Wishes ~ Nemo
Big Simon
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 2:50 pm

Outlaw wrote:
I’d also like to point out that everyone proposing violence as an absolute last resort do not enjoy their Batman movies because of how he gently talks criminals into peaceful resolutions.

Watching a scripted and choreographed fight on the big screen is a bit different than what happens in the real world. You’ve been in numerous fights, so you should know that. That said, you’re not too far off the mark: Once violence is in play, there’s little that will bring it to and end but equal force. I think what everyone else is talking about is peaceful resolution before violence comes into play.
Hunter
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 3:05 pm
Outlaw, I gave you a positive vote on your first post in this thread. Because while I also believe violence to be a last resort, I would totally be down for an RLSH fight club Smile
the visitor
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 8:36 pm
I agree with outlaw on this subject. I know we are trying to make the world a better place and the best way to do that is with peacfull actions. However, I would like to bring up an observtion. People who opose violence say that “we live in reality and violence wont solve anything”. Well they are right about living in reality, but if you take a look at both sides of that coin, ours is a violent reality. Their are two sides to everything and I believe strongly that violence will be a part of any RLSHs career at one time or another if they are doing crime prvention/patrolling and that you must be prepaired to meet that violence with your own less you risk your life or that of an innocent. You want to handle things peacfully, great, do it, just be prepaired to use violence if necacerry.
The Outcast
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Wed May 13, 2009 11:13 pm
I’m good to go when the time comes (if it has to). Only as much force as necessary though. I fought in MMA once and had a hard time hurting a guy that I didn’t dislike. But it also taught me that given a chance, a knuckle head will try to beat your brains in, so you better be ready to pound him first.
Sentinel
PostSubject: Re: Isn’t Good ‘Ol Fashioned Beat ’em Up Neccessary For You Guys? (In Dire Situations.) Sat May 16, 2009 6:52 am
I am a firm believer in using the only amount of force necessary to protect a victim, or myself. I did have a run in a while back with a man selling drugs, a very large man. I have been training in Ninjutsu for many years and as their rep preceeds them, we use whatever means necessary to complete the job.
I was new at being a crimefighter, but always very aware of my surroundings. I did confront the man who proceeded to walk away as I made enough of a scene to make him leave. Stupid me, I did turn my back, not completely, but he was VERY fast and put me in a chokehold that I could not break out of because of his sheer strenght, nor would my own help. I did struggle for air, and the only option I had to make him leg me go was to take out a throwing spike (spike shuriken) and impale it firmly into his forearm. He DID leg go, and swept his legs, and flexi cuffed him, and retrived my shuriken, called 911, and left the scene. Sometimes we have to use the weapons and gadgets we carry. Mine are for specific needs and situations, I never carry anything that is just for “looks” or to be “cool” as that is not my goal.

The Real Life Superhero story starts a few years ago..
There were a few people who dressed up as superheroes in order to promote public safety (Captain Jackson, Super Barrio, etc) Mr. Silent and I thought it was time someone dressed up like a superhero and actually FOUGHT CRIME. We started doing semi-nightly patrols in Indianapolis in full costume, helping break up fights, handing out food to the homeless, and doing generally all we could to help out those in need.
After a while, we decided to reveal what we were doing to the rest of the world.
I went to Warren Ellis hoping to give him a bit of a shock/laugh/whatever. (http://www.warrenellis.com/?p=1712)
I told him the story of how Mr. Silent and I were real life superheroes protecting the citizens of Indianapolis from crime. He posted our story on his site, and almost immediately, his story was reposted EVERYWHERE on the internet. We had become “viral”. (great)
All these years later, I wonder if we should have went public. The massive amount of press has been nice because it helped inspire others to make a stand against fear and HELP OUT THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
Alternately, the press is mostly laughing. Hardly anyone takes it seriously at all. While I understand this, I also think it may cause danger for other real life superheroes. How hard will it be to help others when you yourself are the center of attention and you’re being followed around by gawking onlookers? How do you stay in the shadows when all the lights are on you? It only ended up harming our patrols. Mr. Silent and I stopped doing interviews and started patroling the streets in plain clothes just so people wouldn’t notice us as “those guys from the internet”.
This is TROUBLE. Also, I have a big problem with the so called “real life superheroes” who have turned this into some bullshit “FIGHT CLUB” sort of mentality. We’re helping people who need it, NOT just walking around looking for fights. This has happened too much as of late, and it’s going to get someone seriously hurt.
Maybe it will take one of us being killed for the world to take notice that this shit is REAL and it’s NOT GOING AWAY.
Whatever your take on this, we need to be smart. We need to watch our backs, and we MOST DEFINITELY need to DO WHAT’S RIGHT TO HELP PROTECT OUR STREETS.
Stay brave, people. It’s OUR DUTY to HELP THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST!
Peace on the streets,
Dok Discord
Comments:
Dark Guardian
Long time no talk. Glad you and Mr S are still around. I like where you are coming from and have been right there with you all these years. We should talk sometime soon.
The Prowler
The Prowler Great to see you back. You were one of my biggest influences to protect and help people as a superhero, ever since I first read about yo and Mr. Silent, I think it was in INTake.
Daisy Hibbard
Daisy Hibbard I respect you guys so much! I think it’s brilliant what you do, but it must be hard trying to actually protect our city while people try and follow you around. I know if I ever saw you and Mr. Silent downtown I would probably stop walking and just think, “WOW. I just saw superheroes!” and I would be filled with some sort of Indy pride. 😀
Amazonia
Amazonia Thanks for those words. I had not gone public back when I started because I was afraid of what people would think of me. I had started back in May ’02 and I had no idea there were any others out there. Not until ’06 when I finally looked it up online. Your right, there has been a change in mentality from people doing this since I first started and came online. A lot of them just want to go around and bash heads in and fight crime period. There is more to this than that and I have been lucky enough to be exposed to most of the other things you can do to make a difference in the world. Mostly I do patrols and help people where ever I can. But I don’t go looking for a fight, but if one comes to me, I am ready for it.
Master Legend
Master Legend i been at this for like 25 years and was so happy to find out i wasn’t alone and i owe it all to you and MR Silent.thank you very much and so you know Team Justice has helped thousands and we aren’t stopping there.
Optimyst
Optimyst I agree with everything you said my good docktor. I am glad that you posted this. I really missed your blogs. O

Published in  loaded Magazine
By James Swanwick
Loaded joins a bunch of ordinary fellas who claim to do extraordinary deeds on the mean streets of New York City.
The scene is set: it’s midnight in New York and a woman’s screams rip through the air. A domestic dispute is taking place with her boyfriend in a fifth floor apartment. The man screams insults back and crockery is smashed.
Then, out of the dark shadows, three figures emerge to save the day- holy cow, it’s three superheroes!
This is no comic book story, though. These three crusaders are real-life superheroes, normal fellas who spend their spare time dressing up and performing good deeds for good folk. Meet “Dark Guardian”, “Phantom Zero” and “Life”, whose missions range from the important to the mundane- from stopping robberies and attempted murders to giving out food to the homeless. They’re part of a growing movement that now has hundreds of members all over the States- what’s more, they’re popping up in Blighty now as well.
Tonight on patrol of the Big Apple, the heroes have a new member in their group- loaded-Man- a half-bat, quarter-feral cat, quarter idiot. Together, we’re roaming the streets in search of danger.
It’s just after the witching hour strikes that we hear the woman�s screams. Dark Guardian is the first to spring into action. Wearing a blue and red shirt, tight kecks and what look like aeroplane goggles, he sprints down the streets toward the bedlam.
But instead of flying like Superman, he has another way of fighting crime. He dials the emergency number 911 on his mobile. Five minutes later, a police car with flashing lights pulls up in front of us.
Two officers approach with befuddled looks on their faces. “We’ll take it from here,” one officer says, his eyes popping out on stalks at our costumes.
He pauses, sizing our group up and down. “What’s with the outfits?” he says, a grin on his face.
I feel slightly embarrassed, but my superhero friends aren’t fussed. Satisfied the situation is now under control, Dark Guardian, Phantom Zero, Life and loaded-Man continue into the night
COSTUME DRAMA
Our new friends are all part of ‘Superheroes Anonymous’, a real world internet forum for superheroes to meet and help communities.
Chaim Lazaros (aka Life), 24, is a student at Columbia University and reckons a real-life superhero is anyone who goes out in their own unique persona to do good of any sort. “What makes us superheroes is that we actively go out to do heroic acts,” he says.
He discovered this world on Google. “I stumbled across the real life superheroes community,” he says, “I started going on MySpace and found it really interesting. I was fascinated by these stories of people doing incredible things in costumes.”
Lazaros accepts that, despite all the good work he does as life, most people tend to think he’s got a screw loose.
“The initial reaction is, ‘What’s with the mask, buddy?'” he explains. “Or some people walk past in the street and say, “Whaddup, Superman?’ But once they talk to us they realize it’s very positive- we’re talking up our own time, helping the homeless and the needy.”
Chris Pollak, aka the Dark Guardian, is a 24-year old martial arts instructor from Staten Island, New York. Pollak, who first became interested in real-life superheroes seven years ago, claims he never had a real role model in his life. “But comic books have always been a positive influence,” he says. “Their morals have always inspired me throughout my entire life.”
NO FIST OF FURY
Unlike their comic book counterparts, though, they don’t swing fists- that’s not what being a real superhero is about, apparently.
“A lot of people are fixated on fighting crime,” he says. “But that’s the police job. I’m there to help in any way I can and inspire others to do good acts.”
That doesn’t mean things don’t get lairy on the streets for these lads, as Pollak discovered when a fella went nuts in a shop.
“He was running around the store, yelling and throwing things on the floor,” he recalls. You can tell it’s a story that he’s spun in the boozer before. “I cornered him in an aisle and tried to talk him down. He grabbed a bottle and smashed it into a makeshift knife. I stood right in front of him and made sure everybody got out while another guy called the police, who got there 20 minutes later. It was pretty exciting.”
The costumes mean that, as well as being able to save the day, they’re also targets themselves- for serious piss taking.” I get ridiculed by bloggers,” sighs Dark Guardian. “People can be negative. They say things like, ‘Check out these crazy people running around in costumes. You don’t have to dress in a costume to go do these things.”
Which is true, as loaded points out, “But the idea’s making he point of good deeds as good acts- drawing attention to it,” insists Lazaros. “If I was going out wearing my regular clothes, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.”
The most mysterious member of the group is Phantom Zero. At well over 6ft tall, he towers over the rest of the group. A black cape and a Phantom Of The Opera-style mask covers his face. He won�t even tell us his name. All we know is that he lives in New Jersey and works in a call centre. It makes us wonder if Ocean Finance staff in Blighty sneak out to don spandex and rescue kittens.
“I’d talk to people [over the phone] who had personal problems,” he says. “Then my father was extremely ill and passed away, so I wanted to help people and make the world a better place.”
BACK ON PATROL
It’s 1 am on New York’s Upper West Side. Back on patrol, we’re searching for homeless people to feed. *Next Line unreadable*-Webmaster
“There are homeless people there,” Life says. “Let’s not wake them. You have to be careful approaching homeless people, even if you�re trying to help.” We leave food and water.
We go on foot into Times Square, in the bustling centre of NYC. I feel truly ridiculous, but my mood quickly changes when we’re approached by groups of hot women. “Hey, can we get photos with you.” Asks a cute blonde. “Hey, sexy Batman!” says another. “You see? Being a superhero can have it’s benefits,” Dark Guardian smirks.
The night is over and our heroes are making the journey home. We’ve rescued a woman in distress, fed the homeless and spread the superhero word. “You did good,” says Dark Guardian. “This job is about sacrifice. Tonight I could have been partying, but helping others is the life I’ve chosen.” With that, the heroes speed off into the night. Meanwhile, your friendly neighbourhood loaded-Man heads back to Time Square to get those girls’ phone number.- loaded
See superheroes.com and reallifesuperheroes.org for more details.

There is a growing number of people serving their community. They dress and act like superheroes even though they don’t have any superpowers, they have one advantage over their comic-book idols, they are real!
These low-profile but visually arresting altruists go by such names as Fox Fire, Black Arrow, Polar Man, Civitron, and Knight Owl. They design their own costumes, ranging from outlandish all-in-one latex suits to motorcycle gear. They call themselves Real Life Superheroes, or Reals for short and they are united by a goal to make the world a better, safer place.
According to Chaim Lazaros, a film student by day and a Real-Life Superhero by the name of ‘Life’ by night, the movement is not entirely new: “We’ve seen several waves of activity among people calling themselves Real Life Superheroes for almost thirty years. I personally know some who have been doing it for twenty years. After the September 11 attacks and thanks to social networking sites on the internet there has been a resurgence of the superhero movement. There are currently about 250 active Reals all over the world.”
The enthusiasm for the US-based movement knows no borders and the causes the Reals adopt are as varied as the personas they assume. Super Barrio hails from Mexico where, rather than fight crime, he uses his image of red tights and matching wrestler’s mask to organise labour rallies, protests and file petitions. Ireland’s Captain Ozone conducts his environmental activism while dressed in a light blue body suit, complete with cape, while Canada’s Polar Man concerns himself with shovelling snow from the old people’s driveways, entertaining children and prowling the streets at nights keeping an eye out for vandals.

It may not exactly be glamourous work but it is conducted with a sense of style and panache that lifts the hearts of those being helped. In these times of economic hardship, when the world is looking at new leaders like heroes the Real-Life Superheroes are quietly but colourfully going about their business. They are helping stranded motorists, volunteering at soup kitchens and homeless shelters, participating in blood drives and fighting crime when the opportunity arises.